rine's arm as on the arm
of a trusting friend. But he had overcome her by his generosity; and
in her fixed resolve that he should not be dragged down into this
abyss of misery the sudden determination to tell the truth at least
to him had come upon her. She did tell him all; and then, as soon as
the words were out of her mouth, the strength which had enabled her
to do so deserted her, and she fell at his feet overcome by weakness
of body as well as spirit.

But the words which she spoke did not at first convey to his mind
their full meaning. Though she had twice repeated the assertion
that she was guilty, the fact of her guilt did not come home to his
understanding as a thing that he could credit. There was something,
he doubted not, to surprise and harass him,--something which when
revealed and made clear might, or might not, affect his purpose of
marrying,--something which it behoved this woman to tell before she
could honestly become his wife, something which was destined to give
his heart a blow. But he was very far as yet from understanding the
whole truth. Let us think of those we love best, and ask ourselves
how much it would take to convince us of their guilt in such a
matter. That thrusting of the lie down the throat of Joseph Mason had
become to him so earnest a duty, that the task of believing the lie
to be on the other side was no easy one. The blow which he had to
suffer was a cruel blow. Lady Mason, however, was merciful, for she
might have enhanced the cruelty tenfold.

He stood there wondering and bewildered for some minutes of time,
while she, with her face hidden, still clung round his knees. "What
is it?" at last he said. "I do not understand." But she had no answer
to make to him. Her great resolve had been quickly made and quickly
carried out, but now the reaction left her powerless. He stooped down
to raise her; but when he moved she fell prone upon the ground; he
could hear her sobs as though her bosom would burst with them.

And then by degrees the meaning of her words began to break upon him.
"I am guilty of all this with which they charge me." Could that be
possible? Could it be that she had forged that will; that with base,
premeditated contrivance she had stolen that property; stolen it and
kept it from that day to this;--through all these long years? And
then he thought of her pure life, of her womanly, dignified repose,
of her devotion to her son,--such devotion indeed!--of her sweet pal